Bobsled



I M y R.- WARRENDER- BOBSLED Fil ed Dec. Q3, 1946 F0456 l Va/v'en a en(Ittomeg Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a sled and more particularly to a bobsled inwhich a seat unit is supported by two runner units.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a steerabledouble runner unit sled.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sled having asingle seat section and a fixed runner unit supporting a portion thereofand a secondary steerable runner unit pivotally afiixzed thereto.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a bobsledconstruction incorporating resilient means for normally holding therunner units in axial alignment.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a bobsled ofa size and design similar to a conventional fixed runner sled.

The bobsled shown and described herein has been designed to form asimple and emcient toy for a child and emphasis has been made on lightweight construction, the formation of the component parts of shapesinsuring the durability of the sled and enabling it to withstand roughtreatment. The bobsled comprises a seat portion having a fixed runnersection and a steerable separate pivoted runner section.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure1 is a side view of the bobsled.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the bobsled.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the bobsled.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross section of one of the runner sections ofthe bobsled.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the runner portions of the bobsled showingthe steerable action of the pivoted runner unit.

By referring to the drawings and Figures 1. 2 and 3 in particular itwill be seen that a sled has been disclosed which comprises a too Inpreferably formed of a plurality of slats and mounted in assembledrelation on a lurality of cross members H, l2 and I3, respectively. Theslats of the top H) are riveted or bolted or otherwise suitably afflxedto the cross members ll. l2 and I3 to form an integral unit. The topI'll of the sled has aflixed thereto, as by welding, a fixed runner unitI4, the forward portion of which defines a U-shaped curve l5 which isbent upwardly and the upper foremost portion thereof welded or otherwiseaffixed to the cross member 12 at a point [6.

The rearmost portion of the runner unit I4 is bent backwardly uponitself in a pair of reverse bends I! and then defines a curve [8connecting the two side portions of the runner unit I 4 to one anotherin the same manner as the U-shaped curve I5 connects the front portionof the runner unit. This construction is advantageous in that it isrelatively simple to form on appropriate jigs and fixtures and it isself-supporting with respect to the seat of the sled and it may bewelded directly to the cross pieces l2 and I3. The central forwardmostpoint of the curve I8 is welded as at H! to the cross piece l3. Anotheradvantage in this construction is that there are no sharp pointed runnerends on this unit of the sled. The runner unit 1'4 comprising the twoside runners interconnected by the curving members I5 and I8 and.aflixed directly to the seat l0 forms an integral structure therewithand under normal conditions supports more than half of the weightpositioned on the seat Ill. The foremost extending portion of the seatI0 which includes the cross piece I I, has a centrally located pivottherein and a secondary runner unit pivotally afiixed thereto. Thesecondary runner unit comprises a U-shaped runner 20, the arms of theU-shape forming the ground engaging runners and the connecting portionthereof being upturned and transversely curved as indicated by thenumeral 2|. A steering bar is affixed to the uppermost and foremostpoint of the upwardly and transversely curved member 20 and is indicatedby the numeral 22. Rubber or other molded material in the form ofhandgrips 29 are provided on the ends of the steering bar 22 and theseinclude annular grooves 30 about which a rope or cord may be aifixed sothat the bobsled may be pulled thereby.

A pair of arched frame members 23 are also affixed to the side or runnerportions of the secondary runners 20 at their outermost ends and theiruppermost central portions are afiixed as by welding to a plate 24 whichin turn is pivotally mounted beneath the cross piece II on a pivot 25.The arched frame members 23 are inclined inwardly toward each other asbest shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings and form with the U-shapedrunner 20 a suitable steerable runner unit.

In order that the secondary runner unit 20 may be held in axialalignment with the runners Id of the sled, a coil spring 26 is affixedto an extension 21 of the runner unit 20 and to an extension 28 attachedto the cross piece I?! of the sled. Thus when the secondary runner unit20 is turned upon the pivot 25, the spring 28 is extended as it normallyholds the secondary runner unit 20 in axial alignment with the runner I4of the sled.

In Figure 5" of the drawings theturning action is illustrated and itwill be observed that the length of the extension 2'! is sufiicient sothat it moves the forward end of the spring 26 out-oi axial alignmentwith the sled proper and thereby enables the coil spring 26 to returnthe secondary runner unit 20 to axial alignment with the (remainder ofthe sled when it is permitted to do so.

The complete bobsled thereby comprises asing le body portion In with afixed runner unit I4 forming spaced parallel ground engaging runner-sunderlyin slightly'morethan half of the sled body Hland the-,rpivoted'.-secondary runner unit 20 which partially umider'liesi theiorward end 10f the body H The construction is simple and requires aminimum of material Rand rresultsina very light'weightsled which,possesses the unusual steering ability impartedlby reason of the pivotedfront section. The runners-may be formed of any desired configuration 1such as tubular members with rounded bottom surfaces, tubular memberswithfl-attened bottom surfaces, and,- as shown in the drawings, invertedT-s-hapedmembers, the ground engaging portions of which are providedwith axially extending: grooves to afford a minimum of metallic-contactwith the ground; In Figure 4 of the-dra-Wi-ngsa crosssection of theinverted T-shapedgrooved runner is illustrated.

Itwill be seenthat-theseveral parts-may be simply andinexpensively"fabricated on suitable jigs and fixturesand that wheniii-assembled relation, as shown in the drawings, they form a uniquesled construction which is a very attractive toy and practical sled aswell.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A bobsled comprising a seat member formed of a plurality of cross piecesand a plurality of slats positioned thereon and affixed thereto, a pivotmember affixed beneath one of the said cross pieces and a movable runnerunit mounted beneath the said pivot member, the said runner unitincluding a U-shaped runner member, the

arms of which are spaced apart and a U portion of which is upwardlycurved, a steering bar affixed to the said upwardly curved portion ofthe runner unit :and lying on the same plane as the said seat member, afixed unner unit attached beneath said cross pieces, said fixed runnerunit dispose'd behind the said movable runner unit and including spacedrunners having upturned ends forming connections with-the said crosspieces, a rearward projection .formed on the said movable runner unitand a ztorwardly extendingprojection formed'on one of thesaid crosspieces and acoil spring positioned between the said projections .andnormallyholdi-ngthe said movable runner unit in axial alignment withthe-said fixed runner unit.

RALPH WARRENDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 188,353 Grilzringer Mar. 13, 18757 1,19'7,084= Walter Sept. 5, 1916 1,216,009 T-akemi Feb. 13, 19171,224,575 Sherwood May 1, 1917

